Cafe should be closed (From Craven Herald)

Cafe should be closed

9:33am Thursday 5th January 2012 in Letters

Sir – I wonder if Ben Price, finance director of Caffe Nero, (“Caffe Nero will appeal over refusal by Council”, Craven Herald, December 22) would mind if I popped into his establishment, currently operating in Skipton High Street, despite being refused planning permission, and helped myself to a couple of free buns and a cappuccino.

I realise that might be illegal, but Mr Price’s comments in last week’s Herald seem to suggest he has a rather flexible attitude to laws.

He seems to believe he can ignore the ones that do not suit him, so perhaps he also accepts that the rest of us might do the same. Personally, I have no objection to Caffe Nero, however, I do take exception to people flouting planning regulations.

The cafe was opened without permission and a retrospective application was unanimously refused. The fact that Mr Price disagrees with that decision is irrelevant. He has the right to appeal, but unless and until that appeal is granted, he should close the cafe.

After all, if it is okay to open a cafe without permission, why should the developers of the proposed windfarms, also reported in the same edition of the Herald, not just put up their turbines first and ask questions later, or developers build on the greenfield sites they covet regardless of whether they have planning permission or not?

The planning laws are an essential safeguard for the landscape and communities and should be obeyed by all – including Mr Price and Caffe Nero.

Terry Fletcher, Glusburn